Community members, activists and members of Progressive Leaders Of Tomorrow (PLOT) rally in front of East Middle School in Binghamton to protest the recent alleged strip search of four female students. Tuesday, January 29, 2019.(Photo: Kate Collins, Kate Collins / Staff photo)

Cornwell said Thursday the Binghamton Police Department and New York State Police had conducted an investigation and did not recommend criminal charges.

"I have reviewed their investigation, and agree," Cornwell said in a statement, "there is no basis for any criminal charges to be filed against any employee of the Binghamton City School District."

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Community members, activists and members of Progressive Leaders Of Tomorrow (PLOT) rally in front of East Middle School in Binghamton to protest the recent alleged strip search of four female students. Tuesday, January 29, 2019.(Photo: Kate Collins / Staff photo)

Binghamton City School District had previously hired Ferrarra Fiorenza PC to conduct a third-party investigation and said Thursday it is still waiting for the results.

"We thank our students, families, staff and community for their patience and support," the district said in a statement.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo called for an investigation into allegations that middle school girls in Binghamton were strip searched during a visit to Buffalo on Jan. 31, 2019.
Joseph Spector, Albany Bureau Chief

What did the parents claim?

In April, the parents of the four girls filed a 41-page federal lawsuit, claiming the district failed to rectify the situation — the four girls have since moved to a different school within the Binghamton district — by refusing to apologize for the girls' "shocking mistreatment" by their principal, assistant principal and school nurse.

On Jan. 15, the girls were escorted to the health office, where they spent about an hour, according to the lawsuit, and where the school nurse allegedly conducted what the girls' parents described in the documents as "intrusive and demeaning searches" including removing articles of clothing.

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A January Binghamton School Board meeting was standing room only as the community demanded action regarding the alleged strip search of four middle school girls last week.(Photo: Ashley Biviano / Staff Photo)

Parents demanded compensatory damages as well as training programs for school staff on how and when to conduct searches of students.

"When conducting medical evaluation, it may require the removal of bulky outside clothing to expose an arm so that vitals like blood pressure and pulse can be assessed," the district's Board of Education said in a January statement. "This is not the same as a strip search."

Cornwell said the criminal investigation focused solely on the determination of criminal charges under New York state law "and not into school policy or constitutional rights, as law enforcement agencies and the District Attorney's Office have authority only in matters of criminal law."